Why Has The Defense Fallen Off So Badly?

[redgrange19]

The only people playing on defense the last two weeks have been Callahan, Nichols and Fuller (most of the time). Everyone else has been half assing it, thinking they can just show up and be an elite team. It's happened to the Bears in the past, you have the names and talent, they just aren't playing hard enough and fundamentally tackling.

 

[WindyCity]

Vic's game plans have been horrendous the last 2 weeks.

He blitzed Brady 3 times and Brady was 0-3 with an INT

 

[Chicago Staleys]

 

[fenderpfunk]

Mack isn't dominating as he was before getting banged up. When that was happening it makes his good teammates look great and his average teammates look good.

As indicated - for whatever reasons Fangio maintains a pretty low blitz percentage - which when there is an absolute dominant force virtually every pass play - a quarterback's mental process is so disrupted that even with a clean pocket their effectiveness is a shell of what it could be in terms of scanning the field (even good ones i.e. Russell Wilson).

When that is no longer omnipresent - even average quarterbacks feel confidence in delivering to their first and second reads (Osweiler).

 

[Bearly]

Low blitz percentage + offenses scheming extra blockers + offenses scheming shorter QB drop backs.

All true and then we get killed when they run as well.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

You made Mack the highest paid defender in NFL history so he could wreak havoc and give them a strong pass rush which also helps your secondary a ton. FAIL!

 

[Milton Waddams]

PFW

Matt Nagy on Bears defense: You get concerned, but we’re not panicking
Posted by Josh Alper on October 25, 2018, 2:04 PM EDT

The Bears allowed 65 points over the first four weeks of the season, but they have not been as successful in the two games since their bye week.

They’ve allowed 69 points to the Dolphins and Patriots in back-to-back losses. Not all of those points have come against the defense, but there have been enough issues for that unit that head coach Matt Nagy fielded questions about his confidence level during Thursday’s press conference.

“You get concerned, but it’s not a panic,” Nagy said.

One obvious difference the last two weeks has been the health of Khalil Mack. Mack hurt his ankle against the Dolphins and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Thursday that Mack’s been “affected by it” since then. Fangio also said that the injury didn’t change his approach against the Patriots and called attempts to link the defensive downturn to the injury “a crutch.”

The Bears continue their run of AFC East games with the Jets and Bills the next two weeks and they should offer chances for the defense to get back on track for a second half that includes five divisional matchups.

 

[Mr. Kyng]

Just curious...how do you defend against quick throws?

You don't.. you give those up rally and tackle properly.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

 

[CAP BOSO]

The Miami game was atrocious. The New England game they weren't great, but not terrible. Special teams killed us. Defense actually made some key stops on 3rd and short which doesn't happen often again Brady and company.

 

[CaptnSUG]

Blitzing is a surefire way to get cut to pieces in the modern NFL.

 

[sevvy]

Get the Dbacks lined up over the WRs. Our guys play 10 yards off.

This.

Bump receivers at the line instead of giving a huge cushion.

This.

Lets play some man defense already.

This.

You have to out-physical them, starting at the LOS imo.

 

[CaptnSUG]

The Bears are actually pretty good at mixing in man defenses. Tommy Touchdown had a few moments last week when his boy Edelman wasn't an option.

They just go to shit without Mack terrorizing teams. That's where all these problems are coming from, the Bears cant bring pressure without Mack.

 

[Adipost]

Vic's game plans have been horrendous the last 2 weeks.

He blitzed Brady 3 times and Brady was 0-3 with an INT

That’s because he wasn’t expecting it. You blitz him 1 too many times and he will torch you. You must keep your defense completely unpredictable post snap with Brady, which is exactly what Fangio did. He rushed 3 often, which Brady never saw on tape. He lined up Floyd in the slot numerous times, also not seen before. I don’t fault Fangio at all for his gameplan. I do think Fangio should have been more aggressive with his secondary.

 

[CaptnSUG]

I agree that a few more Callahan blitzes could work but other than that I think he already is bringing too much heat with Roq and Dan.

 

[Starion]

They'd be better off pulling Mack for a week or two to let him heal and FORCE the rest of the guys to spark a fire, including Fangio to do what this thread suggests.

Stop giving big cushions and allowing timing for quick slants, seams, and release dump passes which bail a QB out & kill the pass rush at the minimum, and give up huge YAC plays at worst when tackling sucks.

^ ^ Two issues really that were masked a lot when Mack did get big pressure. Rodgers didn't seem to do too bad with a bum knee and shit WRs though, so it's no surprise other teams are doing the same.

 

[bugg]

i think the d gets it right this week and the jets take a beating. i think darnold gets sacked 5 times

 

[Britbuffguy]

Many have said it's cause Mack was injured, but Mack wasn't here last year and they were pretty good, so is the rest of the D just sand bagging it this year?

They gotta change something. Vic must be really stubborn to see teams taking advantage of his style and not mixing things up. I was hoping the D would be a force all year round, and now somehow they're holding the offense back most of the time.

I'd really hate to see the Bears finally get a legit offense and have a shit stain D bogging them down. Pretty much what I have seen nearly every year for Rodgers with the Packers. Their D has really limited all the good that Rodgers has done over the years.

 

[KingInTheNorth]

Post of the year.... Thank you!

 

[Sparks500]

Everybody got use to Mack making life easy for the rest of them they got spoiled...

 

[CaptnSUG]

Many have said it's cause Mack was injured, but Mack wasn't here last year and they were pretty good, so is the rest of the D just sand bagging it this year?

They gotta change something. Vic must be really stubborn to see teams taking advantage of his style and not mixing things up. I was hoping the D would be a force all year round, and now somehow they're holding the offense back most of the time.

I'd really hate to see the Bears finally get a legit offense and have a shit stain D bogging them down. Pretty much what I have seen nearly every year for Rodgers with the Packers. Their D has really limited all the good that Rodgers has done over the years.

No road game in Miami and no Brady last year.